A. The field of the Invention
This invention concerns a method for detecting quantities of halogenated organic compound content in samples of contaminated material, for example, soil, oil, or water. The method can also be applied to determine the presence of a quantity of selected aromatic compounds by using halogenated hydrocarbons in known concentrations.
B. The Background Art
Halogenated hydrocarbons find many uses in industry as intermediates in the manufacture of organic compounds, and are directly useful in applications such as cleaning solvents and wood preservatives. Halogenated hydrocarbons are recognized hazards when released into the environment, for example, when polychlorinated biphenyls used in dielectric fluids leak from transformers. The United States Environmental Protection Agency mandates testing for halogenated hydrocarbons by complicated methods. For example, one method involves gas chromatography, which directly tests for the presence of halogenated compounds using expensive analytical instruments.
Field tests for aromatic contaminants have been described. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,379 describes the use of Friedel-Crafts Lewis acid catalysts to produce a colored product useful in the characterization of aromatic contamination. However, the above field test is different from the present invention in several respects, including underlying chemical reaction, method of application, and flexibility.